How Chicago Inspired The Wizard of Oz: L. Frank Baum, the 1893 World’s Fair, and the Legacy Leading to Wicked: For Good
Long before The Wizard of Oz became one of the most beloved American stories, its creator—L. Frank Baum—was a Chicagoan drawing inspiration from a city transforming before his eyes. Although Baum was born in Upstate New York, it was Chicago that became the backdrop to the imagination that eventually gave the world Dorothy, the Emerald City, and the iconic Yellow Brick Road.
The 1893 Chicago World’s Fair: The Spark of Oz
The 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition was a moment that changed American culture—and Baum was there to witness it. The Fair was a wonderland of architecture, electric lights, futuristic inventions, and global exhibits. Many historians credit it as a major influence on Baum’s vision of a magical land just beyond the ordinary.
The Fair’s dazzling “White City,” glowing with early electric lighting, would foreshadow Baum’s conception of the Emerald City—a place of wonder, color, spectacle, and innovation.
Chicago didn’t just inspire him; it ignited him.
Baum Writes The Wonderful Wizard of Oz in 1899
After years of storytelling and stage work in Chicago, Baum began writing The Wonderful Wizard of Oz in 1899 while living in the city’s Humboldt Park neighborhood. Published the following year, the book introduced readers to characters who would become cultural icons—from Dorothy and Toto to the Scarecrow, Tin Woodman, and Cowardly Lion.
Chicago played a central role not just in the creation of the story, but in Baum’s creative process. Many scholars point to his surroundings—the mix of grit and optimism that defined turn-of-the-century Chicago—as inspiration for the contrast between Kansas and the magical Land of Oz.
The 1939 Movie: Chicago’s Imagination Goes Hollywood
When MGM released the 1939 film adaptation, starring Judy Garland, The Wizard of Oz became a permanent part of American cinema. The film cemented the Yellow Brick Road, ruby slippers, and “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” into cultural history.
Yet at its core, the world audiences fell in love with was still rooted in Baum’s Chicago-born imagination, a story originally written in a house not far from Lincoln Park.
The Yellow Brick Road at Baum’s Home
In the Chicago suburb of Oak Park, where Baum once lived, a Yellow Brick Road still winds through the area surrounding his former residence—a tribute to the author’s most famous creation. The golden path is a beloved landmark for fans, hinting at the place where fantasy and Chicago history collide.
Oz Park: Chicago’s Living Tribute
Just blocks from Baum’s old neighborhood sits Oz Park in Lincoln Park—one of the city’s most enchanting public spaces. Dedicated to Baum and his legacy, the park features life-sized bronze statues of Dorothy, the Tin Man, the Cowardly Lion, and the Scarecrow.
Families stroll beneath colorful murals and playground features honoring Oz, making the park a living celebration of Baum’s work and the city that shaped it.
Chicago, Baum, and the Arrival of Wicked: For Good
Today, as the highly anticipated Wicked: For Good movie releases, fans are revisiting the origins of Oz more than ever. Wicked—the prequel story exploring the friendship of Elphaba and Glinda—connects deeply with the mythology Baum created more than 120 years ago, much of it rooted in Chicago’s cultural, architectural, and imaginative spirit.
The arrival of Wicked: For Good serves as another reminder:
The magic of Oz began right here in Chicago—and its influence continues to shine brighter than ever.
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